U.S. election: Clinton releases tax returns

The Clintons paid $43.9 million in federal taxes over those years - an average tax rate that works out to 31.6 percent. The documents showed that the Clintons reported earning $28.3 million in 2014 - more than double than in 2015 - and a total of more than $140 million between 2007 and 2014.

All told, the couple earned $151.5 million over the last nine years, and some $238 million since they left the White House in 2001. It is not the same organization as the better-known Clinton Foundation. They paid an effective tax rate of 25.6 per cent in 2015.

That Trump is a liar is no longer contestable - how one deals with it is a tougher question to answer and one that I think every reporter and columnist who covers Trump must struggle with on a daily basis.

While Trump has cited the IRS audit as his reason for not releasing his taxes, the agency said in a statement this year, "Nothing prevents individuals from sharing their own tax information". All major US presidential candidates in modern history have released their returns. "At the same time, they can't turn to Donald Trump because he scares them". A spokesman pointed to Clinton's move to delete tens of thousands of personal emails from her private account as secretary of state.

Hillary Clinton has faced calls to release the transcripts of her speeches, particularly from the three she gave for Goldman Sachs for a total of $US675,000. As Clinton regularly points out on the trail, candidates have released their tax returns going back four decades, and some 30 years of her tax information is in the public realm. "In stark contrast, Donald Trump is hiding behind fake excuses and backtracking on his previous promises to release his tax returns".

More than 70 Republicans asked Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus in a letter Thursday to stop giving money to Trump's candidacy. Obama repeatedly used Romney's business dealings against him and seized upon his reluctance to release certain tax records.

Clinton s running mate Tim Kaine also released his returns for the past 10 years on Friday.

The Clintons made $10.7 million in total income, but reported an adjusted gross income of $10.6 million due to a self-employment tax deduction. A lower income would undermine his image as a successful businessman.

On Wednesday, following two weeks of high-profile Republican defections, her campaign launched an official effort to target GOP voters, telling party officials in Arizona and Georgia they plan to make a six-figure investment in field operations in both states.

The Clintons earned $21 million in 2007, as Hillary Clinton, then a US senator, was running for president.